Page 76 of Girl Betrayed

“Yet,” Betty clarified. “And we have a better chance of keeping it that way if we keep you and Max apart. We’ve come too far to go back now.”

Claire knew Betty was right, but it didn’t mean she liked it. She wanted to stay with Max, to finish what they started. They just had to wait a little bit longer. Soon it would all be over, and she’d finally have the life she deserved.

“We need to talk about Cash,” Betty said, her tone rife with accusation.

“There’s nothing to talk about. It’s done.”

“Have you spoken to Dvita?”

“No. Why would I?”

“You know why,” Betty said. “Just stick to the plan.”

“I am,” Claire insisted.

Betty grabbed Max’s hand from Claire’s. “Come on. We need to go.” But before leaving, Betty turned back to face Claire. “Don’t come back to group,” she warned. “Your friends are getting too close.”

61

The last thingJake saw was the fear on Dana’s face, then the video call disconnected. He couldn’t get the image out of his head. Dana, with the shadow of a man hovering near her car window. His face was too blurred to make out, no matter how many times he rewatched the screen recording.

Jake already called Hartwell three times, and he was doing a great job of pacing a groove into Dana’s hardwood, but otherwise, he was utterly useless, and it was killing him.

Jake hit redial again. And again, Dana’s voicemail greeted him. Each syllable of her voice hammered him with paralyzing fear.

Jenkins had made it clear she was done assisting Jake in this matter. And with his FBI access suspended, the only search engine he had at his disposal was the old-fashioned public internet. A quick search of Matthew Spector had come up empty. But if the guy was really Homeland, that wasn’t surprising.

Jake knew he could knock on Claire’s door. The girl could have him on the dark web in a matter of minutes, but he didn’t want to worry her. She’d already lost so many people she cared about. If something happened to Dana…

Jake shut down the thought, commanding his mind not to go there.

A few more minutes of fruitless web searches, unanswered phone calls and useless pacing and Jake found himself at Claire’s bedroom door anyway. He knocked lightly. “Claire? I need your help.”

When there was no response, he knocked louder. “Claire. It’s important.”

He turned the clear glass knob, but the door was locked. The solid oak of the antique door made kicking it in unappealing, but the old skeleton lock was another story. The simplistic mechanism was comprised of only two parts: lever and deadbolt. An Allen wrench would easily get the job done, but thankfully Jake didn’t have to go that route. Dana displayed a collection of antique skeleton keys in one of the many ornate curio cabinets adorning the cluttered corners of her home.

Jake grabbed the ring of keys from the case and was back at Claire’s door, clicking it open in a matter of seconds. But unlocking the door only unlocked more problems.

Claire was gone.

62

Screw orders.Jake was done waiting. If the FBI wanted him handcuffed, they could come do it themselves. Until then, he was going to follow his gut, which right now told him to track down Dana and Claire.

He grabbed his jacket, calculating the time it would take to give the press the slip, get to the gun safe in his apartment and then begin his hunt. He was two paces from the front door, when he heard the lock tumble.

Jake’s hand went to his hip instinctively, despite knowing his weapon wasn’t there. He swore, retreating out of sight. It wasn’t likely an armed assailant had sauntered up to the front door with the hoard of press outside, but old habits were hard to break. He crouched, ready to attack if need be.

The door swung open activating the security system. Warning beeps counted down to the alarm if the code wasn’t entered in time. Jake heard the keypad being punched, then the telltalebeep-beepof the system resetting.

“Jake?” Dana’s voice reached him, luring him forward like a magnet.

Her eyes were full of questions when she saw him stalking toward her, but desperation overrode logic, and he pulled her into a fierce embrace.

Chest heaving, Jake inhaled her scent, letting her floral fragrance quiet his frayed nerves. She looked up at him and he forgot himself, capturing her lips with his.

For a moment, Dana was lost too, her arms around his neck, fingers raking through his hair. But all at once she pulled back, looking at him like she was truly seeing him for the first time.